Lecanemab Drug

Lecanemab Drug Latest News

Recently, Australia approved Lecanemab drug for early Alzheimer’s diseases.

About Lecanemab Drug

• It is a monoclonal antibody drug to treat early stages of Alzheimer’s.
• It is designed to slow early Alzheimer’s progression by targeting amyloid proteins in the brain.
• It was developed to tackle the causes of Alzheimer’s disease rather than only relieving the symptoms.

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Working of Lecanemab Drug

• It uses antibodies to recognise amyloid in the brain and works with the brain’s immune cells to clear amyloid protein build-up from the brains of people living with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.
• These amyloid protein build-ups are thought to be toxic to brain cells, causing them to get sick and eventually die, leading to the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. 
• Lecanemab is given to patients intravenously, which means into a vein through a drip bag.
• Recent clinical trials show a 27 per cent reduction in disease progression.
• Issues with : High cost and potential side effects, including brain swelling, limit its accessibility and raise safety concerns.

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

• Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.
• It is the most common cause of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life.
• Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases.
• It involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language.
• The condition usually affects people aged 65 years and over, with only 10% of cases occurring in people younger than this

Source: DTE